Page 220 of Tears for a Broken Sky

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Another hit and I was done.

But Slade moved faster—his metal arm gleamed as he hurled a jagged projectile straight into Bomber’s temple.

Crack.

Bomber dropped.

Dead.

But it wasn’t enough.

It would never be enough.

More came. Screaming. Firing. Charging.

And then—

The ground shuddered beneath our boots.

Not a quake.

Awarning.

Everything stopped for a heartbeat—just one. Even the enemy hesitated, stumbling as the cobblestones lurched beneath them.

A fracture split the street open, wide and sudden. I fell to my knees, catching myself just as my opponents toppled, shrieking.

And then I saw it.

A shadow rose from the chasm. Enormous. Ancient. Coiled in power and fire.

Holy fucking hell.

A dragon.

Real. Writhing. Wreathed in shadow and light. It pulled itself free from the earth like it had beensleeping there for centuries—waiting for this moment.

And it roared.

Gods, itroared.

The sound tore through the sky, through the tower, through my bones.

And everything stopped.

Slade let out a shaky breath beside me. “Well,” he muttered, blood dripping down his jaw, “that’s new.”

I stared, heart pounding, not sure whether to cry or laugh.

It soared overhead, screeching—raw power and ancient pain ripping through the sky.

The Sentinels froze, staring up in disbelief as the dragon unleashed its wrath.

Shadowfire poured from its mouth in a wave of screaming black flame.

“Fuck!” I shouted, diving for the nearest door.

Slade vaulted over me to shield my body— but he didn’t need to.

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